The Virginian-Pilot
©
PORTSMOUTH
A police officer accused of taking a TV that had been seized during the execution of a search warrant was found guilty of misdemeanor embezzlement Monday.
Robert Anthony Murray, 39, had been indicted on a felony charge, but the judge found there was no evidence that the value of the 42-inch flat-screen TV exceeded $200.
The TV was seized along with computers and other items during a raid on a suspected illegal gambling operation in July 2009, according to police Capt. Garrett Shelton.
More than a year later, the commonwealth's attorney decided to drop charges against Robert Judd, who at the time owned Lucky Dog Sweepstakes. Judd made arrangements to pick up the seized items, Shelton said.
When the TV could not be found, calls and texts to police officers went out.
Don Butler, who was a lieutenant in special investigations, said that when he came back to work from vacation, the TV was on a desk.
Butler said he asked Murray who brought it in and where it had been and Murray told him that another officer who was no longer with the department had it.
The incident led to an investigation and ultimately to the indictment of Murray.
Judge Marc Jacobson said Monday that it was clear that Murray took the TV and appropriated it for his own use.
Murray is on unpaid suspension from the department. He will be sentenced June 4.
Janie Bryant, 757-446-2453, janie.bryant@pilotonline.com
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It isn't the fact that "someone" stole it
It's the fact that a "police officer" did.
It's disheartening when you realize the very people that are supposed to be upholding the law are just as crooked as the people they arrest.
For all of you that post clearly showing off your law degree
as well as your criminal justice degree the value could not be determined because the age, condition of the TV. The owner didn't have a receipt and no one that had the ability to accurately determine the value. You cant bring someone in from Best Buy or Sears,they sell retail,you cant bring in from a pawn shop they would low ball. There isn't an "expert" out there to swear under oath the value of electronics since everything is diff. Everyone has experienced it at one point perhaps when one wants to trade in a car they are never offered what they "feel" it is worth Why is everybody so pissed at the Judge and CA? He was found guilty at this point Does it matter if it was a misdemeanor or felony his career is over it was a bad choice.
Heres a question for voters
Heres a question for voters and readers:
Why hasnt the Pilots staff in Portsmouth reported on Anthony Ruffin (a Portsmouth Sheriffs Inmate at the Work Release Program) and who was a star in the Bill Watson PSO video .....been reported that he walked off the crew....attacked a Portsmouth resident and has been on the lamb since?
Did Lee forget his job as PIO?
Time for the AG/VSP and Portsmouth Commonwealths Attorney to finally investigate Bill and his agency....he is after all the head and ultimately responsible.....he permitted this to go unreported for over a week EVEN AFTER RUFFIN ATTACKED......
PS WAVY 10 is reporting on it top story.....how is allowing this to go on and not reporting it NOT a crime.....is that NOT a coverup?
STORY AT HAND
Why don't you concentrate on the story at hand? It appears you have an issue with Sheriff Bill Watson.
Why don't you have enough guts to go sit down and talk with him face to face? There's no doubt he'd give you honest answers to any question you might have.
In the mean time, why don't you make your comments directly connected to the story.
Some Officers Not as Skilled as Others When it Comes to Lying
VBPD officers are better at lying and covering up their deceptions and wrongful acts -- that's why they're not in the paper more often.
Wow! P-town PD is doing good today!!!!
Three of them in the paper today. One for stealing, one for child porn and one for murder. Does the P-town Police Chief still have a job?
Prime example
of why NO ONE respects the courts now days. This judge is probably one of the judges that continue to release repeat offenders over and over again. Our judicial system is so broke.
evidence presented
im sure that the judge, commonwealth attorney and anyone with some kind of common sense knows the true value of the TV, but Virginia law is very clear, that you must evidence against a defendant in a criminal trial, guilty without a shadow of doubt, to find him or her guilty, not so in a civil case. i would guess that since it came from a gambling house that the owner didn't have a receipt. the judge can only deal with what was presented into evidence not speculations.
Really?
My experience is that absent active direct authoritative oversight, that judges have a lot more latitude than you suggest. Outside of a glaring legal error that latitude tends to be unencumbered. How are Judges and several localities' courts getting away with prosecuting people for not showing "proof of insurance" during a traffic stop when it is not in the statute, for example? Where is the oversight for that?
Typical BS
Judge protects the cop by reducing the felony charfe so he can still have a career in law enforcement where a felony conviction most likely ends it. Average Joe the want to throw under the jail. sad state of affair we live in these days with a justice,social and economic system that is inequitable.